Gemstones Facts

Hardest Gemstone

The most popular and hardest gemstones on earth are diamonds. No other gemstone or even ‘stone’ that is harder than diamond on earth and diamond can only be polished or cut by another diamond itself. However, diamonds and many other "hard" gemstones can chip. Although they are very hard but don’t forget they are also brittle.

Toughest Gemstone

Toughness of a gemstone may be defined as the ability to resist chipping. Jade is the toughest gemstone in nature. What makes Jade the toughest gemstone is due to its strong, interlocking fiber crystal. It may be fashioned or cut into statues or other figures and even axe heads with ease, but it’s resistance to chipping is intensely high. Early hammers and tools have been found which were formed from this gem mineral. Since the toughest gemstone is jade, it is also the most difficult to polish and carve. It requires highly trained workmanship as well as creative aesthetics to create a piece of fine jade jewelry.

Rarest Gemstone

The rarity of a gemstone will contribute to it’s value. Generally the rarer a material, the higher its value. A fine quality rubies are one of the rarest gemstones, it costs even more expensive than diamonds and may easily exceed $10,000 per carat. However, there is no connsensus on what is the rarest gemstone according to the Gemological Institute of America because there is no consensus on the definition of "rarity".

Most Colorful Gemstone

Tourmaline and opal are known to be the world’s most colorful gemstones:

Lightest and Softest Gemstone

Amber is the lightest and softest gemstone known, it is light enough to float in salt wwater, which aided in its discovery. This organic gem originates from the sticky resin of prehhistoric trees. Since Amber is the lightest gemstone, choker of large, carved beads is made from this unusual stone. Baltic amber is the strongest amber and therefore favored for use in amber jewelry. Fossilized tree sap need to be at least 30 million years old to be considered as an amber.

Most Creatively Striped Gemstone by Nature

No other gemstone that is more creatively and naturally striped than agate. The banded appearance is due to other substances which may include quartz (amethyst or rock crystal), chalcedony (jasper, onyx, carnelian) and etc. Onyx (a variety of quartz) is similar to banded agate, it is only that in onyx the bands are straight and parallel.

Largest Faceted Gemstone

Topaz holds the record for the world’s largest faceted gemstone. It was mined in Brazil, the infamous stone is a whopping 36854 carats and maesures 34.9 x 15.5 x 12.1 cm – according to the American Gem Trade Association.

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Birthstones

January Birthstone

February Birthstone

March Birthstones

April Birthstones

May Birthstones

June Birthstones

July Birthstones

August Birthstones

September Birthstones

October Birthstones

November Birthstones

December Birthstones

 

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Gemstones

Agate
Amber
Amethyst
Aquamarine
Bloodstone
Chalcedony
Chrysoberyl
Chrysoprase
Diamonds
Emeralds
Garnet
Jade Stone
Lapis Lazuli
Malachite
Moonstone
Obsidian
Onyx
Opals
Padparadscha
Pearls
Peridot
Rubies
Sapphires
Smoky Quartz
Spinel
Tiger's Eye
Topaz
Tourmaline
Turquoises
Zircon